The Sisters
by nevergogently
Summary: It's hard being a Greaser, and even Socs have their problems, but what about those in the middle? They can't really understand what's going on can they? Just invisible nobodies trying to wade through the violence. Until somebody finally sees them, and then they must choose. OCs, pre-book.
1. Chapter 1

The last bit of summer sun peeked over the row of rundown houses. A stiff, cool breeze went right through my lavender sweater. The fall was really setting in, and it was probably time to trade my pedal pushers for full length slacks, and wear stockings under my skirts, but that's a problem for later. Right now, I have to find my sister. After she didn't make it home for dinner, my parents sent me out to fetch her, and since she wasn't at the movie house, or the diner, I figured she was probably at her friends' house. I know the Curtis' live on this block, I'm just not sure which one of these bungalows belonged to them. I continued down the street, hoping the noise from inside would give off a clue about its inhabitants, but there seemed to be a lot of screeching and hollering coming from a few of the houses. Frustrated I stopped outside of a house that was splattered in mud, a few broken green shutters littering the front lawn, and tried to see into the window.

"Lori?!"

My head snapped at the sound of my name to see Keith Matthews bounding down the neighboring staircase.

"What are you doing, trying to perv on the Johnson's?" his infamous joker grin was ear to ear and I quickly walked towards him, now fearing I may have been caught looking like a snoop.

"Keith! Hey! Um, I uh was looking for my sister, you know Rita, right?" I tried to explain myself but was only met with his eye roll. I'm not sure if it was in response to how I addressed him (I seem to be the only person in all of Tulsa that doesn't call him by that ratty nickname) or to my question (he's been friends with my sister for years).

"Yeah, Lor, she's inside," he pointed his thumb at the door he just exited from. I nodded, twisting my sleeve around in my hands. "Do you want me to grab her for you?" he offered. I nodded again, vigorously, and waited as he ran back in and shouted "Hey, Rita! Special delivery for you outside!"

"Two-Bit, what are you talking about?" Her voice heavy with annoyance, I can already feel the heat rising to my face. She always has to make everything a struggle.

"Just come outside, will ya?" Keith let the door shut behind him as he walked back over towards me, "See you in school toots." He offered me a wink before meandering through the now darkened street.

Rita stood in the doorway, her quizzical expression altering to anger as her eyes settled on me. She came out of the house with a bang, "What are you doing here?!"

"Mom and Dad sent me, they want you to come home," I have to stay stern if I'm going to get her to come quietly. Her eyebrows arched as she silently challenged me. I folded, "Please Rita, it was either me or them. Just come back with me, please."

Slowly she took the steps, and when she was finally in front of me I breathed a thank you. She sucked her teeth at me. Turning on my heel I got ready to trek back to our house, but the Curtis' door opened once again. This time the naked torso of Sodapop Curtis leaned outside, "Rita are you leav-Oh, hey Lori!" he gave me a gleeful wave. I smiled despite wanting to just grab my sister and drag her off. This was already turning into a two hour long event and I wasn't enjoying any bit of it.

"Yeah I gotta get going Soda, sorry!" she jerked her head towards me, making it clear it wasn't her decision to leave, before adding, "Tell Pony I'll walk by here before school so we can go together." Sodapop nodded and disappeared into the noise of what I can only assume was an intense poker game.

Tension wasn't always so high between Rita and I. Before we moved to Tulsa three years ago we were the best of friends. Our father's company transferred him, and if he was going to keep his job, we would have to leave the New England coastline for this sleepy Midwestern life. The new job and new town came with a pay cut, and my mom's even had to take up work with a laundering service. Since then Rita and I slowly drifted apart. She fell into the Greaser crowd after befriending Angela Shepard, who introduced her to Ponyboy and his gang. I've tried to keep myself as invisible as possible, laying low between the class lines and just going about my business. I have to keep focused on school, getting into a college is the only way I'm going to get back up to the Northeast. I refuse to play gang wars, and I don't know how Rita's going to survive now that's she's lodged right into them.

We make it to our house without a word spoken. I open the door and our tabby meows unhappily. It's not my fault she likes to sleep right next to the front door. We make it up to our bedroom, which we share much to our unhappiness. In Rhode Island we had our own bedrooms, but downsizing happens. Rita flipped onto her bed with a heavy thump, she didn't even bother to change into a night gown before kicking the covers over her. I folded my clothes and put them atop the dirty pile in the corner, and pulled my nightgown over me. I watched my sister's back rise and fall. How'd she get so far away from me?

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed this little introduction to The Sister's! More to come soon!


	2. Chapter 2

"Pone, have you seen my DX shirt?!" Soda shouted through the bathroom doorway. I stood in the Curtis' living room-or at least the assemblage of furniture that's kind of thrown in the center of the house-and waited for Ponyboy. He picked through some crumbled clothing in the corner before scooping up the pale blue button down and tossing it at Sodapop. It landed on his head, and that infamous grin beamed as Soda slid the shirt around his shoulders. If it wasn't for Pony pulling at my arm to leave I would have basked in Sodapop's glow all day.

Sodapop was the first friend I made in Tulsa, after the poor excuse for a car that my family shares died when Lori and I were driving back from registering for school. We had just passed the DX a few blocks before so I left my sister in the car and ran back to get some help. She was hootin' and hollerin' about how _invoncenienced _ she was by the car, as if she really had any other plans that day. Although knowing her, she probably had every minute scheduled and it was cutting into her Organize Books by Height and Author time. When I had reached the DX this tall, movie-star looking boy was at the gas pump, smiling right at me. "You don't happen to be the doll in that old Belvedere?" his smile brightened the closer I got to him.

"As a matter of fact I am, how'd you guess?" I was a little unnerved by the accuracy of that but still I leaned against the pump, my short frame barely evening out with his shoulder.

He laughed, "You could hear that thing sputtering a mile away! It was only a matter of time 'fore it gave out. My best guess is the fuel line filters gunked up, or could be the EGR valve. C'mon I'll take a look at it." He was already headed towards the car, so I hurried along after it.

"Hey, what's this gonna cost me?" I barely had ten dollars on me, and I was sure Lori didn't have much more.

The boy looked me up and down before flashing those teeth again, "Well if you come to the school track meet with me tomorrow afternoon, I'll knock it down to 15 bucks for you, peach."

"Alright," I smiled slyly, "and my name's Rita."

"Sodapop."

"Oh no thanks," I thought he was offering me a drink.

"No," he chuckled, "that's my name. My name is Sodapop Curtis."

I stopped walking, "Are you trying to pull one over on me? I know I'm new here, but I'm not no dumby, I come from the city ya know!"

"Oh yeah? What city? New York? Dallas?"

"Providence," I mumbled, knowing it wasn't as impressive.

"Where in the world is that?" he shook his head.

"Rhode Island," I said more defiantely, refusing to be outdone by this greaser.

"Well Ms. Rita from Rhode Island, just wait till ya meet my brother! If you think Sodapop is strange, then boy are you gonna be _floored_." And I was. I went with Soda to that track meet, and there he introduced me to Steve, Johnny, and _Ponyboy_. It took me two solid weeks to actually believe that those was their real names. I honestly thought they were some made up nicknames like Two-Bit's. In that time I had met all the guys plus they're girlfriends. I got pretty close with Evie and Sandy, even Sylvia when her and Dally were on good terms and I guess I kind of stuck. It was nice. I had friends, and a reason to be here.

Mostly it got me out of the house, which I liked. My parents were more stressed than ever, and it seemed all they talked about were finances. Things had to be cut and sold, like Lori's piano lessons, and dad's jazz collection. Life wasn't going to be so cushy for the Grant's anymore. Before moving, our parents were going to buy Lori and I our own car to share for our sixteenth birthday. Well that birthday has come and gone, and we're still stuck in that damn sputtering Belvedere.

"Do you think Johnny's going to come to school today?" Pony's voice snapped me out of my thoughts as we passed the kid's house. It was eerily quiet which meant Mr. Cade was probably sleeping off a massive hangover while Mrs. Cade was off doing God knows what.

"If we see him in the Lot let's make him come. It's good for him to at least do something with his day," I suggested since that's most likely where Johnny slept last night. When we rounded the chain link fence that encased the Lot, I pointed out the lump of newspapers that took the unmistakable wiry shape of Johnny Cade. Ponyboy ran over to him, rousing him to his feet and he silently walked alongside us.

Walking up the stone steps to the high school, we were greeted by Two-Bit's jabber.

"Well well look at these three hoodlums trying to get themselves educated. How you all doing hoodlums?!" He slapped the boys on the back and gave me a slobbery kiss on the cheek all while laughing.

"What are you still doing outside Two-Bit? Don't you have class too?" Pony raised an eyebrow, trying to imitate the jokester. We all knew though that Darry probably asked Two-Bit to keep a lookout, to make sure Ponyboy actually got to school. He wasn't too happy about finding out that Pony and I had skipped a few days ago to check out the pool hall with Curly Shepard.

"Aw c'mon Pone, you know I like being _fashionably _late. Oh speaking of, Ritz, I have yet to see your studious look a like come in yet!" I rolled my eyes, just because he had to keep tabs on Pony didn't mean I wanted a report on Lori too.

"She probably got here before you, to study of whatever square little goodies like her do."

"Mmmm, wouldn't be too sure of that slick," he pointed behind me, and I turned to see my sister running across the street, huffing her pink cheeks out. She leapt up the stairs, staring at Two-Bit wildly as he shouted, "What's the rush doll?!" He slapped his knee, and followed her down the hall, imitating her jaunty stride perfectly. The bell sounded as she practically skidded into the classroom, Two-Bit bellowing behind.

The whole show took all motivation out of me. I turned back and started down the stairs, but Pony called after me "We just got here, you leaving?"

"Yeah, I guess, I don't feel much for learning today."

"Well where you going?" I could see the thoughts turning in his head, to skip or to stay.

"You go on in Ponyboy, I'll probably come back in a bit, just don't feel like following up that act. I'll come back by lunch, I promise." I just didn't feel like having Darry holler at me again. Once is more than enough to be scared of Superman for the rest of my life, I certainly don't need a repeat performance. Pony nodded and he and Johnny retreated into the building.


End file.
